Six more people have been sentenced to death over murders committed during the Xinjiang riots, bringing the total number of people facing execution up to twelve. Three of the six were given the death penalty with a two-year reprieve, which usually means that they will be commuted to life in prison. The new verdicts come after a Han Chinese man was put on death row for murdering two Uyghurs over rape rumors in Shaoguan, Guangdong - the act which triggered protests in Xinjiang in the first place. more ›

A Han Chinese man was sentenced to death months after the murder of two Uighyrs suspected of raping two Han Chinese factory workers in Shaoguan. In addition, nine other Han Chinese were sentenced to between five and eight years in prison for the murders. Since the attacks were the spark that erupted the racial riots in Xinijang this summer, we guess this is the government's attempt to smooth over ethnic tension in the new frontier. But in light of the many, many other ethnically charged rules and regulations in effect since the riots, we have our doubts that this is the right path for closure on the issue. more ›